How They Met
by Ramona Bandicoot
Summary: The background story of my original character, Ramona Bandicoot, and how she met and became friends with the Cooper Gang. Final chapter is up.
1. Prologue: Split Apart

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters.

_ -This chapter is rather short but the others are longer, I promise._

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

Prologue: Split Apart

At the age of seven, the divorce papers from Ramona's parents had finally been finalized and she and her brother were on their way to live with their father. Her mother and siblings stay in the city of Paris, France while Ramona herself along with her father and older brother live in the small islands off the coast of Australia.

**General information:** In most of my stories, Ramona is between the ages of 20 and 25, depending on the story. She is a young female raccoon who had medium length black hair that is usually pulled up into a ponytail. Her eyes are different, however. She has one blue one a one green one. (I saw that a girl in my neighborhood that had this eye color combination and thought it was pretty) She usually has a normal attire of jeans and Converse and whatever shirt that fits within the story.

_I know that this prologue was kinda boring and just had the description of my character but the next chapter starts the story. Please read and review and let me know what you think please! (:_


	2. Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

Chapter 1: The Beginning of the End

It was a quiet evening in our house when the lives of a brother and myself changed forever. Our small family of three was sitting on the large fluffy couch that was placed in front of the fire when everything started happening. Our father had been reading us a story before bed when my brother and I had to start figuring things out for ourselves. Mom and Dad's divorce had just been finalized and we both figured that things would be alright from here on out. Even though we were away from our other siblings, we were finally away from our mother. And I did love her dearly but we just couldn't live with her.

"Please Daddy? Can you just read us one more before we go to bed? Please?" I begged my father. I gently gripped his arm and looked up him with pleading eyes. He let out a sigh and gave a falsely stern look.

"You know the rules, Ramona. Seven year olds go to bed at eight-thirty."

"But I turn eight next week!" I let a smile come across my face and hoped he would read us another story

"Alright," he said through a playful sigh, "but your brother chooses." I nodded as he handed Sitka the book.

My older brother skimmed through quickly and handed the book back to my father. My father nodded and got ready to star the final story before bed. Just as he started to tell the story, various loud bangs could be heard coming from the door. He quickly looked up and threw the book on the other side of the couch. The bangs got louder and that's when he turned to my brother.

"Listen to me," he looked directly at my brother as he spoke, "I want you to take your sister and get under the bed and stay quiet, understand?" my brother nodded.

"This is very important, if I don't come to the door, I want you to take your sister and do what I told you to do. Do you remember what that was?"

My brother nodded again and my father gently pushed us away as the bangs and shouts got louder. My brother took paw and hurried us to the master bedroom. We both took one last look at our father before Sitka pushed me inside. After we were inside, he quickly shut and locked the door.

"Sitka, what are we-" I started by was quickly hushed as he placed a paw over my small snout.

"Stay quiet!" he harshly whispered. I nodded as he nudged me underneath the bed. He followed in suit and we stayed completely silent.

I looked at him with question and he simply placed a finger over his lips, telling me to keep my mouth shut. We both heard a loud crash and Sitka clamped his paws over my ears when yelling could be heard. The sounds were muffled and I still didn't know what was happening. We had just been sitting on the couch and now we were crammed underneath my fathers' bed alone. The sounds stopped and my brother removed his paws. He gave me a glance and told me to stay. I nodded and watched as he started to make his way our from under the bed.

I left my head slip out so I could see what he would do. He placed his ear against the door and listened for any sounds of movement. He motioned for met to get out from my shelter and I followed. I watched as he unlocked the door and shoved me towards the back door. We exited our home and he led me down the beach.

"Sitka," I said after funning for a while, "where are we going and what happened to Daddy?"

"We're going to the Pulaski's and I'll explain everything later." I sighed as I followed my brother.

Our neighbors' house finally came into view after we had been running for a good twenty minutes. Sitka sat me on the steps and then proceeded to knock on the door. I watched as the middle aged weasel couple answered the door and noticed my brother. He then started to tell them something and I watched their expressions change from one of generosity to looks of fear. Mr. Pulaski then went down the front steps of his home and down the path we had just followed while his wife led us inside their home. We were led to the couch and I sat next to my brother.

"Sitka," I wined, "what's going on?" He shook his head and I stayed quiet.

And that was the night that I lost my father forever.


	3. Chapter 2: Downward Spiral

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_This chapter is again only about my own characters but the Cooper Gang get involved in the next chapter and things start to pick up. Please leave me reviews and let me know what you think about the story so far! (Once again I don't own Crash, Crunch, Coco, or Carmelita but I do own the other characters. Also, not all of the information in this story corresponds with the games. I.E. sibling relationships)_

Chapter 2: Downward Spiral

After the death of my father, my brother and I had to live with our mother and other ten siblings in Paris. We had a rather large family with ages of children ranging from ten to four months. I didn't mind it however, I almost always had someone to play with and for the most part we got along.

Mom and Dad's divorce had only been finalized two weeks before he was killed. He gained custody of me and Sitka because he knew we didn't like living with our mother but now we were back in her small apartment and her new boyfriend. He was Italian and because of this, mom made us learn Italian out of respect for the guy. This only added another language on top of the ones I was already learning. I already new French since I've lived in France most of my life, my father had Australian backgrounds so I learned English. Mom had Spanish backgrounds so I learned Spanish and then to top it all off, we had to learn the ancient language of the island I lived on, the Entish language.

So all twelve children either knew five languages, learning then, or going to learn them. However, each child had different specialties which made us unique. Sitka Bandicoot, the eldest, was very athletically inclined. Charlotte and Carmelita Fox wanted to follow in my mother footsteps and be a police officer. Both of them had a fiery temper and didn't have much patience with anyone. Despite the fact that Carmelita and I were twins, she was a fox and I was a raccoon and we had different passions. She wanted to be a cop like out mother and I wanted to be a thief like my father. Like my brother, I was also athletically inclined but never did like playing sports. My younger brother, Crash Bandicoot, was a happy go lucky bandicoot who was the result of an affair on my mothers' part. Even though Crash wasn't the biological son of my dad, he still loved and accepted him.

Another younger brother of mine was Nicholas Fox, Nick for short. He, like my sisters, also wanted to be a law enforcer. My younger sister Tawna Bandicoot, I'm not really sure what she wants to do but I know she enjoyed music. Crunch Bandicoot, another younger brother, was also the result of the affair on my mothers part, being outside all day and also protective of his younger siblings as well as his older ones. Twins Victoria and Daniel Fox were like me and my twin. Victoria wanted to be a thief and Daniel was on the law enforcement side of the family. Coco Bandicoot was the final result of my mothers' affair. She was too young to understand her interests but I knew I would find out soon enough. And finally, the youngest sibling I have is baby Carlos Fox.

I found it sad that half of us had my fathers' last name and the others had my mothers' maiden name and I wasn't really sure why it was divided that way. I had asked Sitka and he said that it was because it had something to do with Mom's profession being a police officer and Dad's profession was being a thief. I was still too young to completely understand that concept but I went with it anyway. While living my mother I learned how to play a few instrument like the guitar and the piano in my spare time. I thought things were starting to look up when I wasn't arguing with my mother but again, my life changed.

It was one night at dinner that mom said she was sick of some of us living there. She said she didn't like the responsibility of having so many kids, but instead of being angry with the younger children, she was angry with me and Sitka. I always had a feeling that she resented us but I didn't know it was true. I guess it's since we were the only two raccoon out of all twelve kids. Mom was a fox and so were the majority of the children, with the exception of the three kids she had with the affair. But if she didn't like raccoons, why did she marry Daddy? He was a raccoon.

It's when she said that we should go live in an orphanage is when I realized it was true. So, as her final decision, she had us pack our bags the following morning and the next thing I knew, Sitka and I were the newest members of the Happy Campers Orphanage.

That's where I met my three best friends.

_Ok, I know this chapter was very descriptive but I needed to mention all the siblings and how Ramona and her brother ended up in the orphanage. Next chapter involves the Cooper Gang! Please review!_


	4. Chapter 3: Making Friends

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_Ok, in this chapter, the Cooper Gang finally makes their appearance! Please read and review!_

Chapter 3: Making Friends

My brother and I trudged down the stairs and made our way to the headmistress for schedules. To say the least, we were highly unpleased with our current situation but decided we could live with it. I watched as my brother knocked and heard the woman shout at us from behind the door. Sitka pushed the door open when were motioned inside. I shut the door behind us and we stopped in front of the old pigeon's desk. She looked at us from behind thick glasses and ushered for us to sit.

We took our places in the chair and waited for further instructions. She turned slightly and started typing away furiously at the computer.

"Name and age please." she directed her voice to my brother.

"Sitka Bandicoot, eleven." He said simply.

"And you," she referred to me, "same question."

"Ramona Bandicoot, nine." She nodded and continued typing. She eventually ran off some papers and them to us. With a flick of her wrist we were ushered back out into the hallway. We scanned our schedules and compared them. They only classes we seemed to have together were non-academic classes such as art and recess.

He nudged my shoulder and I followed him into the cafeteria for breakfast. We stood and waited in the long line, listening to the children around us and quietly murmuring to ourselves. He assured me that we'd get more friends as the week passed and to just be patient but that didn't matter to me. I didn't want to be here in the first place. I didn't want to live by a schedule every day and live with people I didn't know or share a room with someone who I didn't know. I just wanted to go home or just home it was a dream but I sadly knew it wasn't. We took our trays from the line at sat at a table. A few other kids sat around us as we ate but didn't attempt to make conversation and we did the same.

The bell for the end of breakfast rang and I parted ways with my brother. I decided to get to my first period class early and hopefully avoid the clichéd scene of a new student standing in front of the class and introducing themselves. I trotted into the room and saw the young teacher standing near her desk. I walked in and handed the woman my schedule and she looked over it. She smiled warmly and handed me back the paper.

"Give me just a minute and I'll find your seat." She turned to her seating chart and looked over it. I turned and watched as children started flooding into the room.

They were all chatting amongst themselves and taking their seats. I made a quick glance back to the teacher who was still looking over her roster. I started growing impatient when I realized the bell had rang, all the others had found their seats and were waiting for the teacher to find my seat and get things started. She finally turned and gave me a seat at a large table with two other orphans. After I was seated, she began class. She simply stated that it would be a free drawing day today and we could draw whatever we thought of. However, before she let us begin, a male raccoon, who looked only a little older than myself, came in late and handed the woman some sort of tardy pass. She looked it over and nodded before sending him to his seat. And his seat was the empty one not even two feet across from me. He sat and class started.

Immediately, the kid beside me and across from him started a conversation and the raccoon boy and I stayed silent. The four of us eventually started drawing on the paper in front of us and half listened to the conversation between the other two orphans.

"So you're new?" I heard someone ask. I looked up from my drawing and noticed that the raccoon across from me was staring at me, waiting for my reply.

"Yeah, my brother and I just came here yesterday." I moved the hair from my eyes as he nodded.

"So do you like it here so far?"

"It's…ok, I guess."

He smiled before saying, "It's not that bad once you get used to it. I've been here for three years already and it's not that bad."

"Three years?" I asked. I already couldn't stand being here one day and this kid has already been here for three years.

"Yeah, I came here after my dad died and I didn't have anyone to take me in so this was my only option. What about you?"

"My dad was also killed and when I went to live with my mother she said she couldn't handle all of the kids so she sent two of us here."

"I'm Sly, by the way." He said after a few moments of silence.

"Ramona." I said simply. He smiled and we chatted about random things until the class ended.

After art was over, I went to my next class, music. Like my last class I went tot eh class early and showed the teacher my schedule. He said to sit anywhere and I did just that. By the time I had folded my schedule back into a square and placed it in my pocket, kids had already swarmed in and took their seats in the choir stands that were set up instead of chairs. I took a seat in the middle of the third row and quietly watched the others come in. I had been looking around the room at the many various posters of instruments and notes when I felt someone tap my shoulder. I was surprised to see Sly standing there.

"Mind if I sit here?" he motioned to the empty space next to me.

"No, go ahead." I flipped my tail to my other side so he could sit. Moments later my brother flopped down on the stands next to me and sighed.

"I have gotten lost in the stupid place at least three times." He grumbled softly. I laughed at him and zoned out when class started. The teacher was going over different notes on a piano and playing different examples of each. The way I figured it, I already knew how to play the piano and found no interest in listening to his rambling. Instead, I thought of how I would adjust to living here and what I would do during the weekends. I did look forward to recess though, I could go outside and just run around and not really worry about things. The bell rang and I was snapped out of my daydreams. I made my way through the rest of my classes that day and found that it had been a pretty good day.

That's when things had started to look up


	5. Chapter 4: Taken

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_Ok, I know this chapter is short but things really start to pick up in this chapter. Please read and review!_

Chapter 4: Taken

One year later

I have always enjoyed the feeling of wind going through my hair when I rode a swing set. Everyday at recess I would jump on a swing and just go. I would use that time to think, or try to think at least. I'd usually end up talking with my three closest friends about whatever happened to be on our minds at the time. At the moment, I was just sitting in my swing as it slowly moved back in forth in time with the wind. I sat in the middle of two of my friends, Sly on my right and Bentley on my left. Bentley was a small, nerdy turtle with more allergies than anyone could count but was incredibly smart. And Murray was standing behind us and would occasionally give us a push. Murray was a rather large hippo who looked like he would beat the snot out of you if you looked at him the wrong way but was a big softie on the inside.

"Hey Ramona, what did Charleston give you detention for?" Sly asked after our conversations came to a standstill. Mr. Charleston was the foreign language teacher. Even though I was already fluent in Spanish, we were still required to take it.

"Correcting a teacher at an inappropriate time and place or something like that." I replied before jumping up from the swing and walking towards the front of the building.

"Where are you going?" Murray shouted after me.

"Water fountain, I'll be back in a minute!" I shouted my reply. I spotted my brother across the playground as I walked along slowly. Even though we'd been here a year he was still very protective of me and I respected him for that.

I waited in line behind a few others while others came stomping up behind me. After standing in line for several moments, I finally was able to pull my hair from my face and drink from the fountain. I had finished and just turned around when I impacted with an adult.

"Excuse me," I said after I realized who I had run into. He said nothing and I proceeded back to the swing set; or at least tried to. I stepped to the right and he placed a foot in my way. I stepped to the left and he repeated the action. When I went to look up to see which way he decided to go, he quickly clamped a paw over my snout and scooped me up. My eyes went wide as I realized what was happening. I got his paw from off my snout and clamped my teeth around his hand and bit down. I didn't know exactly how hard I bit but I know I heard a pop and felt blood enter my mouth.

He cursed loudly and I immediately started shouting for my brother. When I saw him, I also noticed he had been grabbed too and his captor was making for the exit. That's when I realized mine was too. I started kicking, clawing, and biting even harder that I already was but it didn't help. The last thing I saw was teachers running after us, and Sly, Murray, and Bentley looking to see what was happening. I also remember being thrown in a van after my brother and seeing the doors close before hitting my head on a piece of metal and blacking out.

That's when everything in my life changed again.


	6. Chapter 5: Altered

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now. I also don't own the Cortex emblem.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_This chapter is also rather short but very important to the outcome of things!_

Chapter 5: Altered

I groaned and placed my hand on my head as I finally regained my vision. Everything was still blurry but I could faintly make out some figures. First thing, I realized I was in a large metal cage and I wasn't alone. When everything was finally clear and I could see, I realized that the people in the cage with me were all of my siblings. They were also awake and just as confused as I was. I crawled over to them and continued looking around. That's when I noticed a very familiar emblem on the wall; them emblem of the enemy of my father. I could never remember the guy's name but I just knew that I hated him.

I sat next to my sisters and waited for something to happen. My older siblings were trying to find a way out but our oldest was twelve and I doubt they could break through steel bars. That's when I saw a man in a large, white trench coat approach the cage. He opened the heavy door and dragged Sitka, Charlotte, Carmelita, and myself out of the cell. He handed three of us off to other guards and proceeded to drag us through the long halls. We kicked and attempted to bite our handlers but it only made things worse. Out movements completely stopped when we entered a room and it was filled with machines. The four of us were separated and I was pulled into the back corner and was left handcuffed to a metal slab.

I pulled and tugged at my restraints but it brought me no where. I stopped moving when I heard a surge of electricity and then the loud buzzing sound of an alarm of some sort. I also heard the ranting of an angry man who kept saying the phrase, 'Failure, another failure!' I didn't know what he meant but I knew it couldn't be good. I heard the same process another time and then witnessed it the third time. The eldest of the females was unconscious and placed on a large metal slab that was slowly being placed inside a large machine, similar to a cat scan. After it was secured, I turned my head away sharply when the electricity started flowing. The alarm started sounding as I watched the head scientists, or who I assumed was in charge, throw his clipboard across the room.

My heart raced when he made his way towards me. I had scooted as far as I could to the edge of the slab and watched him circle me. He chuckled as he came to a stop in front of me.

"You know, Miss Bandicoot, you look just like your father. I also know that you are gifted, incredibly gifted," My eyebrows furred at this comment. I figured that I was just an average girl, "However, due to your age you probably don't know what they are yet. Most ten year olds don't. And because you are so gifted, you have the honor of helping me with my…projects, if that's what you want to call them." He smirked and continued walking.

"What do you mean?" my heart continued to pound as I saw him pull a syringe off a small plate. He walked towards me with the needle and I backed up. I couldn't move far due to my restraints but I still attempted escape. I felt two guards grab my arms and hold me down. I then felt the prick of a needle enter my arm. I felt drowsy a few moments later and lost the energy to fight back.

"You'll soon find out." Was the last thing I remember the man saying before I fell into a darkness.

I didn't know it then, but that night would actually help me succeed.


	7. Chapter 6: The Beginning of a Heist

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now. I also don't own the Cortex emblem.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_Alright, I know the Cooper gang only had a part in two chapters so far but they start making a major appearance in the rest of the story, starting with the next chapter! Please read and review!_

Chapter 6: The Beginning of a Heist

11 Years Later

The annoying sound of my alarm clock jolted me awake from my dream. I reached over and quickly shut it off. I flopped onto my back and brushed my hair away from my eyes while sighing. This wasn't the first night I had dreamed about my childhood. I shuttered as I remembered that night in Cortex Castle. Dr. Cortex was indeed a brilliant scientist but crazy as a loon. He was the enemy of my father and after his death he used the children for the test subjects for his crazy experiments. Like my siblings, I was also put in the machine that the doctor specialized in and needless to say, we all ended up as an experiment gone wrong. Cortex wanted an army of loyal soldiers to make him some sort of ruler but his experiments were flawed. We looked and acted the same after the experiments but our physical abilities had increased. This of course helped me become a better thief so I guess all the outcomes weren't all bad.

I could run faster and longer, I was stealthier on heists, and I also had an intelligence boost. I wasn't as smart as my sister but I could get along pretty well. After giving another long yawn I finally sat up and stretched. I trudged out of my bed and bedroom and entered my kitchen. I was currently renting an apartment in Paris, the first time I've been in the city since I was taken from the orphanage. After the experiments, my siblings and I stayed at the castle until I was sixteen and we finally escaped. Since then we've been going from city to city, country to country in search of Power Crystals. My sister researched and discovered that these crystals were extremely powerful and if Cortex got his hands on them, then we'd all be in trouble. After months of research, Sitka, Charlotte and I discovered there was one on display at the local history museum in Paris and planned to strike.

We worked in two groups in order to get the crystals. Sitka, Charlotte and I worked one half of the world while Crash, Coco and Crunch worked the other side. This assured that we would have a better chance of getting the crystals before Cortex. I had planned to meet with my two siblings later today so we could plan for the heist later tonight. I would be the one to actually break in and steal the crystal, Charlotte would be the technical support, and Sitka would make sure we got out of there quick, fast, and in a hurry. I quickly fixed a small bowl of cereal and ate it while watching the news for any information that involved something on the museum.

There was a breaking news story though. There was some elusive thief on the loose in Paris and the officer in charge of the case was none other than my own twin, Inspector Carmelita Fox. She had fulfilled her dream of becoming a police officer like my mother, who recently married the Italian man she met after my father died. I had missed the name of the thief and only half listened as the reporter explained the outcomes of their latest heist. The group of thieves had stolen some artifact and my sister had once again failed to catch them.

I finished my meal and placed the dishes in the sink before strolling into my bathroom and taking a shower. I thought of ways we would pull this off as I showered. I did know that when we did retrieve it, we would keep it in the safe as Sitka's apartment along with the others that we had stolen. After my shower, I got dressed and grabbed my house keys before leaving my temporary home. I walked down the hallway and entered the elevator. I rode down eight flights before stepping out into the main hallway and exiting the building. I simply walked across the street and to the apartment building there so I could meet with my siblings.

I pressed the 'up' button on the elevator and waited patiently. The doors finally opened and I stepped in. I pressed the button to take me to the ninth floor and the doors closed. I was lifted with a jolt and quietly rode the elevator. I stopped on my designated floor and stepped out. After searching for my brother's apartment and finding it, I knocked on the door and smiled when the door opened.

"You're late," he muttered softly as I stepped inside. I rolled my eyes playfully as I sat at the kitchen table next to my sister. My brother then followed in suit and sat across from us.

"Alright," he started, "Ramona, do you know how you're getting in?" I nodded.

"Two-thirty a.m. enter the south facing air vent through the basement and then crawl through until I reach the main level. After that, remove the air vent which you removed the bolts from, right?" he nodded and I continued, "Charlotte will deactivate the security systems and cameras while I head for the main exhibit area." I pointed to the room on a copy of the floor plans that were spread on the table, "I'll pick the locks on the case and after the door's open, check for any trips wire and have them deactivated before taking the crystal. Then, place it in my pouch, get back to the air vent, get in, replace the cover, and crawl back to the car where you two should be waiting, am I right?" Both smiled and nodded and we determined that we were ready to pull off the heist.


	8. Chapter 7: Pulling a Heist

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now. I also don't own the Cortex emblem.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_Alright, major heist scene in this chapter! Please rate and review and let me know what you think! And sorry for the long update time, I had to march with my school's ROTC in my town's annual Christmas parade but it's updated!_

Chapter 7: Pulling a Heist and an Unexpected Meeting

I grunted softly and blew the cobwebs from my face as I crawled through the air duct of the museum. Even though I was a moderately skinny woman, this air duct was still a little tight. Crawling on my elbows and knees, I followed the route we had planned out and couldn't wait to get to the main floor and out of this metal tubing.

"Sitka," I called through my earpiece, "you could have told me this vent was tight." I muttered as I smacked a spider from my view.

"I figured you would fit!" he laughed, "with mom's height in you I figured maneuvering through there would have been a piece of cake. And besides, you're the only one would could fit. Charlotte is fit enough but her hips are too wide and let's face it, my muscles are too big." I snorted at the comment and could see him smirking from the car.

He was well built but always enjoyed poking fun at my height. I wasn't too short but I wasn't tall either. Being just over five feet usually allowed me to so jobs like this but this was just ridiculous. He also found it fun to make fun of my accent. Out of all twelve kids, I was the only one to retain our native Australian accent. Sitka and Charlotte had more of French accent but I enjoyed being the odd one out of the bunch. I finally reached the vent cover and gently lifted the cover from the floor. I turned it vertically and lowered it into the vent itself. I placed my paws on the edge of the floor and pulled myself up.

After my feet were firmly on the ground, I shook the dust and cobwebs off and proceeded to look for my destination. I passed by a mirror as I continued walking through the quiet building. I checked my hair for cobwebs and grimaced when I saw a cluster of them on my ponytail. I pulled out the silver strands from the black of my hair and continued walking. The only sound that could be heard was the soft click of my toenails on the ceramic floor. I often went barefoot on heists for two reasons. One, it was quieter than tennis shoes and two, if I ever needed to make a quick getaway it made it easier to climb up the side of buildings instead of a drainpipe. I turned quickly when I thought I saw a striped tail dart around a corner.

"Sitka," I whispered into my earpiece, "are you in the building?"

"No, I'm in the car and so is Charlotte. What'd you see?"

"Nothing, just checking." I said before continuing. I turned a corner with a jerk and followed the long hallway and entered the exhibit room I had in mind. I stopped at the threshold and waited for Charlotte to disable the security systems. The floor was covered in a laser grid and security cameras littered the room. Thankfully, the cameras were already off and I waited for the grid to disappear before making my entry.

I turned on my heels quickly when I thought I heard very faint footsteps. I studied the hall and found no one. I shook my head before entering the now clear room. The only case in the room, the one that held my prize, was triple padlocked and I was sure there were trip wires inside. I opened the small satchel I had slung over my shoulder and pulled out my lock picking tools. I got to work on the first lock. I huffed when my arm would get in the light. The only light in the room was positioned in such a way that if I moved, my light was blocked. Of course if I was right handed this wouldn't be a problem but just like everything else in my life, it was the difficult way.

The lock clicked open and I quietly removed it before working on the second one. It was a standard padlock that was simple to crack and it came off with ease. I replaced my tools and got to work on the third padlock, a standard rotating one. I slowed my breathing so I could hear the three clicks needed to break the lock. I rotated it slowly, giving each number a few seconds before moving on to the next one. The lock opened a few moments later and I placed it with the others. I opened the door to the glass case and pulled out my flashlight. I slowly went over the crystal, looking for trip wires. And just as I suspected, there was one.

"Trip wire," I muttered into my earpiece. I heard a mumble from the other ends before a conformation.

"All clear." My older sister replied. I replaced my flashlight and pulled out a small box that we used for keeping the crystal safe from scratches. I crossed my fingers as I grabbed and removed the gem. I was relieved when everything stayed quiet. I had just placed the crystal in the box and the box in my satchel when I knew I heard someone in the same room. I whirred around and my eyebrows raised when a noticed another thief standing not five feet from me. I went of the defensive mode and got ready to pounce. He was a young raccoon, couldn't be over twenty-three. Moderately tall and well built and clad in all blue. He clutched a shining cane in his hand that looked vaguely familiar but I didn't stay on the subject long. My ears flattened and my eyes narrowed as he stepped closer.

"Now what is a pretty lady like yourself doing stealing something as valuable as that?" he questioned before taking another step forward.

"Why does it matter to you?" I questioned back. He simply smirked and put up his hands. He took another step forward and began to say something when his brows furred in thought.

"I know you from somewhere, but where?" before I could make a reply, the halls were suddenly swarmed with police that had their weapons drawn and pointing at us.

"Freeze!" I heard a very familiar voice shout from the center of the room. I watched as my sister came strolling into the room, gun drawn, and a scowl across her face.

"Inspector Fox-" the thief next to me started. I zoned out of their bantering and looked for a way out. All the exits were blacked by police, my sister was guarding the main exit, but there was a fire escape just behind me. I was snapped out of my train of thought when Carmelita focused her rage on me.

"You?" she shouted and pointed her shock pistol at me.

As kids we would usually play cops and robbers only this time she was a real cop, she had a real gun, and I was in real trouble. My eyes scanned the room in search of a quick escape but found none. If I could just get her to move her gun I could escape. She gave a nod and three officers stepped forward, guns drawn and I figured I would be arrested. However, that's when the other thief, who was now standing next to me, did something unexpected.


	9. Chapter 8: Escape

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now. I also don't own the Cortex emblem.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

Chapter 8: Escape

I watched from the corner of my eyes as he pulled something small and gray from his leg pouch and clutch them closely in his paws. When Carmelita took another step closer, he threw the small items in front of us and the room was suddenly filled with a thick, gray smoke. The officers started coughing at the smell and I found myself holding my breath to keep from doing the same.

"Quick, get out of here." He whispered softly in my ear before scampering away. I did was I was told and turned quickly. I bolted to the left and pushed the fire exit door open forcefully before entering the alleyway. I ran as fast as my legs would carry me, which thanks to Dr. Cortex was pretty fast. I allowed the moonlight to light my way as I made my escape.

I twisted and turned through back alleys and my ears picked up the sounds of police sirens. I ran faster when I heard the sounds and decided I needed to get off the streets. I spotted a brick building and quickly darted over to it. I leapt onto the side of the building and used my claws to navigate up the side of the building. I was again thankful I was barefoot and could make it up the building with ease. I allowed my claws to enter the cracks in the bricks so I could push myself upward. When I reached the roof, I stopped to look at something peculiar. I noticed four figures in handcuffs being led to the back of a police cruiser. One was a female fox and the other was a male raccoon and I instantly knew it was my siblings. They had somehow been arrested and I would have to find a way to break them out of jail. I didn't know who the other two were. One was a small turtle with glasses and the other was a rather large and muscular hippo. I knew I couldn't linger one the roof any longer and had to get off before I was caught.

When I turned around, I was starring down the barrel of a shock pistol. One of the officers that had stormed the museum had found me when I was watching my brother and sister be carted away in a car. He of course told me to freeze and put my hands up and I of course did the exact opposite. I bolted for the edge of the building and planned to simply slide down. Just as my legs and body were over the edge and the only thing left showing was my right paw, I heard a gunshot. I felt pain in my paw which caused me to loose my grip and fiercely slide down the wall. I used my claws to reduce my fall and grimaced when my nails tore away to nothing.

My feet touched the ground and I briefly looked at my good pawand realized I would need to add 'manicure' to my 'to do' list. I shook the thought from my head and continue running. I held my injured paw close to my chest as I ran. My legs started to burn as I continued to sprint across the streets. I still heard sirens but they were starting to die off and I no longer heard the sound of my pursuer. I slowed to a stop and kept a paw against the wall of the nearest building as I surveyed my surroundings. My ears perked and my eyes widened when I heard my sister yell at someone followed by the other thief pushing my shoulder gently and telling me to run. I ran in the opposite direction he did and let my legs carry me through the city.

The city lights were a dull yellow and everything had a very relaxed feel to it. The Eiffel Tower stood tall in the distance and the sounds of police sirens could still be heard. Once I knew I was alone I slowed down once again and leaned against the side of a coffee shop. I felt my heart pound in my chest as I felt something circle around my waist and a paw gently clamp over my mouth. I was pulled into an alleyway and I felt my back crash against something warm.

"Shhh," I heard softly. It took me a minute but I realized it was the raccoon I had met at the museum. I pulled his paw off my mouth and shot him a quick glance before pressing my back against the side of the building and slinking down.

I sat and pulled out a strip of cloth and a bottle of water from my pouch as I heard him sit next to my right while I opened the water and poured it over my bleeding paw. I let the blood and water flow off and onto the ground where it created a path of its own. My breath was still coming in heaves when I heard him start speaking.

"You're Ramona Bandicoot, aren't you?" my head snapped in his direction and I stared. I had no idea who this man was but I did want to know how he knew me. I studied his features and tried to place a name. I knew I recognized the cane he carried but I didn't now where.

"…Yeah." I said hesitantly. He smiled and nodded before saying, "I thought I recognized you." I still had no idea who he was but I was determined to find out.

"You don't recognize me do you?" I shook my head and he continued, "We went to the same orphanage here in Paris." Then I realized it, I knew who he was.

"Sly Cooper!" I exclaimed before letting a smile spread across my face, "I haven't seen you since that day at recess." He nodded and I momentarily turned my attention back to my paw. I took the strop of cloth I had in my pouch and attempted to wrap it. Thankfully I was only grazed and the bullet didn't actually enter my paw.

"Do you want some help with that?" he asked as he gestured to my paw. He reached out his paw as an offer and I handed him my own. He took it and started to warp the cloth around the wound.

"What happened after you were taken? I know that the teachers never got you and your brother back themselves." He looked at me while asking his question before continuing to work on my paw. I always hating going over what happened after I was taken but I didn't want to just not answer.

"Unless," Sly said as he snapped me out of my thoughts, "that's a wound you don't wish to reopen." I nodded at that answer and we sat in silence as he came close to finishing wrapping up my paw.

That was until he accidently brushed against an open nerve. My ears flattened, my eyes narrowed and I let out a hiss as pain shot throughout my paw and arm. I quickly pulled my paw away and clutched it to my chest. My fangs still showed as he gently took my paw again and finished tying off the knot. My lips lowered and I thanked him. We both shot to out feet when sirens could be heard again and the sounds of police boots could be heard pounding the asphalt streets. I felt my unwrapped paw be grabbed before being pulled in the opposite direction. Sly was leading me away from the sounds of the police as we twisted and turned through more tight spaces and away from the city.

We quickly reached a deserted building and I assumed it was his hideout. He led me inside and closed the door quickly behind us. We stood in silence and listened for the sounds of the police. When minutes passed and we still heard nothing, we relaxed. He gestured me to take a seat one the couch and I did. I then began think of how this night had turned out. I did successfully retrieve the crystal but I also had run into an old friend. I also found it strange that I hadn't seen this man in eleven years but he somehow remembered me and I was now sitting on his couch in his hideout. I felt him sit on the couch away farther down me as I thought of a way to get my brother and sister out of the police station.

"Now how are you going to get your siblings out of their predicament?" he questioned.

"I don't know." I answered honestly. I had no idea on how I would break them out of jail.

"And I have no idea how to get Murray and Bentley out either. I noticed your family being carted away too." He mumbled softly.

"You're still friends with Murray and Bentley?" I hadn't seen them either in a long time either and remembered the two other people that were arrested with my siblings. I realized it had to be them after thinking for a moment.

"Yeah, I am." He laughed before going into thought. We sat in silence until his ears perked.

"You know, if all four of them were arrested at the same time, then they were probably all taken to the same station for holding. And if that's the case then the two of us could easily break in and get them out."

"And how would we do that?" my head rolled in his direction as I leaned my back against the couch and held the cloth over my paw.

"Easy, we could steal two police uniforms, put them on, and slip them out with ease and without any suspicions. Get them out of their cells when they need to be transferred and simply sneak them out the back door."

"That could work." I said as I thought his plan through. It was relatively simple and could be pulled off if we worked together.

We agreed to his plan and we would meet early tomorrow morning at the coffee shop around the corner to get the plan into action. We spent the rest of the night talking about our plan and simply catching up. As the night wore on, I decided that I would need to get back to my own apartment to get some sleep and get some sort of medicine on my graze wound. He nodded in agreement as I stood and headed for the door. He reached the door before I did and opened it as I approached. I thanked him as I walked through the threshold and began running home. I sprinted home and didn't stop running until I was standing in front of my apartment door.


	10. Chapter 9: Fulfilling the Job

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now. I also don't own the Cortex emblem.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_Alright, this story is starting to wrap up; I'm probably only going to have one more chapter after this. After this is done I'll keep posting oneshots and maybe another story if I can ever think of a good idea (: anyway, please ready and review!_

Chapter 9: Fulfilling the Job

My eyes snapped open when my alarm clock started blaring. I quickly shut it off and sat up. I knew what I would have to do toady and I could only hope and pray that things would go smoothly and everything would work out. As I stood up and walked into my bathroom, I couldn't help but wonder if Sly would actually fulfill his end of our bargain. After being a thief for the past five years, I have made many deals with old acquaintances but only have them blow up in my face. Everything has happened from behind left high and dry to being placed behind bars. And if that happened, my brother and sister would be there to break me out and now I had to do the same for them.

I showered and dressed quickly and was out the door in half an hour. We had decided to meet early so we could sit at the coffee shop and drink something warm while talking about how everything would be carried out. It was still early morning when I stepped outside of my apartment complex. The sky was a soft powder gray color and as I passed shops, they were either closed or just opening. I always love Paris in the spring time; everything was always peaceful and usually had the clichéd romantic feeling to it. I turned the corner and my eyes locked onto my destination. The l'arôme de Paris coffee house had only been open for half an hour and I was surprised to see the number of customers already sitting and enjoying a cup of coffee before work.

I was also surprised to see Sly already sitting at a table outside the shop. He looked up from his paper as I approached and motioned for me to take a seat next to him. I sat in the black, iron chair and shifted the fallen hair from my eyes. He handed me the paper he was reading and I saw that a floor plan of the police station was tucked away inside.

"There's a supply closet on the western side of the building and I've already scoped the place out. The chief of police is a heavy, heavy smoker and he usually smokes in his office." He said as my attention returned to him.

"Alright, how does that help us?" I questioned as I handed him back the newspaper.

"It helps us because he smokes with the window open and he usually keeps the window open when he goes to get his meals from the cafeteria. If we get to that station in an hour and a half then we can sneak in through the window while the old badger gets his breakfast. Then after we're in we get out of the office and into the supply room, steal a couple of uniforms and waltz out the doors. And then we find the spare keys, get to the cells, break out your siblings and my friends and then we make a break for the front door. We'll get them to make a run for it back at my hideout and we stay in uniform and act like we're chasing them. Lead the real cops away from them and them meet at the safe house after we're in the clear."

"What about security cameras? It's the police station, you know it's going to be littered with them." I said as I thought his plan through.

"Don't worry about them. I may have no idea how to turn them off but why would they need to check them? We're not going to take anything from the office, just walk through it and then we'll be in disguise the rest of the time. And the guards are getting breakfast at that time, we'll be completely secure."

"Are you sure?" I was never ready to go full force on a plan that had potentially fatal flaws in it.

"Positive. And even if we do get caught, then we all run for my safe house. That'll draw attention away from your home and you can make your escape. Just trust me on this."

I nodded and we both silenced our plans when a waiter came to out table and placed two mugs of coffee and a plate of scones down before strolling away.

"I hope you don't mind but I ordered you the same thing I did." He said as we took out mugs in our paws.

"That's fine," I said as I sipped at my coffee, "Did you figure all this out overnight?" he shook his head as he sat back in his chair.

"No, I'm around that place enough I pretty much know their schedule." He gave a smirk and I gave a chuckle. We finished off the coffee and the scones before Sly paid the waiter and we set off for out destination.

We stuck to the shadows of the buildings and allowed the early morning semi-darkness conceal us. I let Sly lead us through the alleyways until we reached the headquarters. We looked up and saw that the chief's window was open and would be easy to reach. There would be a thirty minute gap for us to enter the building and get in our disguises.

"Can you get in from down here?" Sly asked when we started to make our way up. I nodded and we started climbing. He took the nearby drain pipe and I used my usual tactic of using my claws to climb upward.

Sly entered first and scoped the room out before giving me the signal to enter. I pulled myself in and we entered the office of the police chief. The room had the unbearable odor of cigar smoke and the place was littered with papers and files. We made our way through the room and Sly opened the door with caution. He looked up and down the hall before waving for me to follow. We scampered to the supply closet only a few feet from the office and he kept lookout while I picked the lock. The door opened with ease and we both entered. After closing the door quickly, we both searched the racks in search of a uniform that would fit our frames.

The uniforms were all pressed neatly and held inside protective sheet covers. After searching for the correct size, I finally found one and slipped it on over my clothes. After everything was squared away and I looked like an officer, I turned and saw that Sly was also ready. I pulled my hair up into a bun and walked out the door. We walked sided by side down the narrow hallway. I chest tightened as we passed by another officer but we received a nod of greeting. We nodded in return and I relaxed.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" I whispered. He nodded and pointed towards a hallway that was to the right.

We entered the hallway and walked the short distance before rows of holding cells started appearing. We searched each cell until we found the two we were looking for. They were side by side and the three males were in one and the other held the only female. We stopped in front of both cells and I shot a glance to Sly.

"Keys?" I questioned. He said nothing but simply held up two fingers and swung the key ring from them. He searched for the correct key and eventually found it. After sticking the key in the lock and twisting, the door slid opened and he handed the keys off to me. I did the same and motioned for my sister to come out. As we removed the handcuffs from our teammates, the plan we related to them and they simply nodded.

My heart could have exploded in my chest when I heard two very familiar voices yell from the other end of the hall. I looked up and saw two of my other siblings, Carmelita and my younger brother Nicholas. They drew their shock pistols and started calling for backup.

"Go!" Sly yelled and pushed us towards an exit. All six of us sprinted along the halls and jumped and weaved past other officers along with dodging bullets. I felt a bullet whiz past my leg but I went uninjured. I felt my brother grab my arm and yank me forward when I realized I was slowing down. It was this uniform, I wasn't used to being restricted with a belt around my waist and it was slowing down my running.

Sly and I both discarded the uniforms in the streets after we had reached outdoors. By now the sun had already risen and everything was illuminated in a soft yellow. We ran in a line with Sly leading and my brother bringing up the rear. I was honestly sick of being chased by police two days in a row but I decided I would worry about that later. With it being this early in the morning, not many police were at the station so there weren't that many pursuers. After we had been running for a good twenty minutes, we heard no more sirens, no more bullets being fired, no more shouting, and no more running.

To play it safe, we ducked out in Sly's hideout until the coast was clear. I sat on the floor as my breath came in heaves and I felt my legs burn. I looked around and was happy; my siblings were out of jail and safe. I could tell Sly was happy also since his best friends were safe too. I didn't know whether or not to also say they were mine since I was taken away so young but I still felt comfortable around all three men. We all stayed and talked until the sun started setting and my siblings and I made a decision to leave.

My siblings led the way to the door and allowed Sly to open it. The three of us said our goodbyes to Sly, Murray, and Bentley and they exited the small home. Before I exited however, I gave Sly and glance and thanked him for everything. He did the same for me and felt him ruffle my hair. I let a laugh escape my mouth before I let my legs carry me quickly to my apartment.


	11. Chapter 10: Keeping a Friend

**Author's Note: ** This is just a few chapters about my own original character(s). It gives some background information along with what she looks like and how she met the Cooper Gang. The first few chapters talk about her childhood and its get Sly and the others involved in later chapters

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the Sly Cooper characters, they belong to Sucker Punch Productions and the Crash Bandicoot characters belong to whatever company owns them now, they've had so many developers make their games I've forgotten who owns them now. I also don't own the Cortex emblem.

**Claimer:** I own all of my characters, Ramona Bandicoot and her siblings with the few mentioned above along with her parents.

_Last chapter! And to me, this story was short compared to others that I have written but this was simply to explain the background story of my character. So, now that this is posted I'll have to think of some new story ideas… I have no idea what but I'll think of something! Anyway, please read and review and let me know how you think this story went and/or how I could make future stories better._

Chapter 10: Keeping a Friend

This was my last week in Paris before I left for Barcelona, Spain. A few boxes were already packed but I let this last week become a vacation week and my procrastination set in. My brother and sister had already moved to the city a few days ago to get everything started flowing but I wasn't ready to leave. Whenever I visited a city to pull a job, I always stayed an extra week to be a tourist. I felt proud of myself however. After finding nothing worth watching on T.V I packed up a few boxes and placed them in the corner of the living room. I would miss Paris but I knew I'd be back eventually.

As nightfall set in and things on the streets switched from daytime tourists to nighttime partygoers, I showered and got ready for bed. Even though it was early to be settling in for bed, I had some research to do. After I had run in with Sly in the past week, I let my curiosity get the better of me and became nosy. I had picked up the local newspaper and searched for information on Sly and his gang. He had stolen things here and there from well known local thieves but I decided to find out more. As I tossed the paper on the small coffee table, I picked up my laptop from the couch and carried it into my room.

I flicked the bedside light on as I wiggled underneath the sheets and comforter. After propping my pillows against the headboard and pulling my laptop onto my lap, I started researching. I pulled up information on the different things the gang had stolen over the past few years and where they had hit. They had a pretty good reputation on Thiefnet for being world class and I was convinced. Carmelita was the head officer on the case and had a ninety-nine percent arrest record; the other one percent was the fact she could never catch Sly and his gang. I continued researching and was quite impressed with their work. I groaned when my computer beeped at me for having a low battery. That means I would have to get up, go into my living room, and get the charger from the wall.

I sighed as I moved the computer and stood. I shuffled quickly into the small room and pulled the black cord from the wall. I sloppily wrapped it and would straighten it out when I returned to my bed room. As I passed through the living room and entered the kitchen to return to my room, I noticed something on my kitchen table. I strolled over and carefully picked up the folded card. It was blue and white and had the shape of a raccoon face; I recognized the symbol from Sly's belt. I chuckled softly as I flipped open the card and read the hand written message inside.

_Getting ready to pull off a job tomorrow at the art museum, interested in joining me?_

_Ok, I know it was short but I had to end it somewhere! And again this story is shorter than some of the other stories I had written about a year ago but it was just a background story. So please read and review and let me know what you think of it! Thank you (:_

_Also, I have the story It's Complicated posted, a few chapters at least, and it's the sequel to this one. So, if you enjoyed this story, please read and review the sequel and let me know your opinion. _


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